ASIA

This is planet Earth’s biggest continent. It stretches from the Urals in Russia right down through India and Malaysia and takes in the vastness of Siberia and China. But it isn’t only big – its variety is infinite.

The tropical, palm-fringed beaches of Thailand, its great cuisine contrast totally with the wintertime, frozen north of Siberia. It’s particularly in south east Asia that CitySounds.Travel concentrates … Thailand, India and Malaysia but we also venture into fascinatingly strange and huge Kazahkstan… that should capture your imagination ! See what we have on our “country” pages…

Kazakhstan suffered some serious defamation in the film "Borat". Actually it's a fascinating and vast country. It's geography is hugely impressive and the former capital Almaty is surprisingly green, sophisticated and fun. There are more posh car dealers on the…

Kazakhstan certainly had the piss taken out of it by the film Borat. In reality it's a fascinating and vast country ( the world's ninth largest and two thousand miles by one thousand ) . It's geography is hugely impressive…

These two Bangkok guides not only give you the formal attractions like the Wat Po temple complex, the Royal Palace, a fascinating canal trip on the Chao Phraya - but also take you to a gutsy evening of Thai boxing,…

These two Bangkok guides not only give you the formal attractions like the Wat Po temple complex, the Royal Palace, a fascinating canal trip on the Chao Phraya - but also take you to a gutsy evening of Thai boxing,…

Chiang Mai is a very different, more restful, more thoughtful experience than Bangkok. The old city is within walls and a moat. Part of the fun is just walking the city - taking a boat trip on the Ping River…

Chiang Mai is a very different, more restful, more thoughtful experience than Bangkok. The old city is within walls and a moat. Part of the fun is just walking the city - taking a boat trip on the Ping River…

This new attraction tells the fascinating but gory history of cockfighting. It is extremely well set out and covers different breeds, different countries and culminates with a display of cockfighting. BUT... and it's a big BUT ... in Thailand birds…

Delhi rush hour in a Tuk Tuk, trucks, bikes. Chaos of 14 million on the move. India's biggest Mosque. Market areas ... including firework market ! British imperial face of Delhi. Fine public buildings; Shrine at house where Gandhi murdered.…

These two guides to Goa have been completely remade in 2014. Hear all about the incredible beaches with rough-and-ready “shack” restaurants – they can provide some of the best eating you’ll find. Beach sports include parascending. This guide is based…

These two guides to Goa have been completely remade in 2014. Hear all about the incredible beaches with rough-and-ready “shack” restaurants – they can provide some of the best eating you’ll find. Beach sports include parascending. This guide is based…

It's many years since Hong Kong reverted to rule by China. Many locals are still fighting to protect their democratic rights from Beijing interference but for tourists HK still seems to be fun and madly commercial in everything it does…

Jim Thompson was an American who had worked undercover in the Far East during WWII. He settled in Bangkok and almost single-handedly revived the Thai hand-weaving silk industry. There are now a whole series of rather elegant Jim Thompson shops…

This programme looks almost entirely at the appalling World War II history of this area where the Japanese worked well over 100,000 men to death building their military railway towards Burma. The Oscar-winning film Bridge on the River Kwai was…

Once you have paid homage to the victims of the Burma Death Railway in this region of western Thailand there's plenty else to see and do ... Tim takes a short elephant safari, gently rides the River Kwai by bamboo…

These two Kerala pieces are newly gathered and give a great deal more detail than the single Kerala piece they replace. Visit Cochin with its Fort Cochin old colonial district, Jew Town with a surviving synagogue and the Mattancherry district with spice…

This first piece in southern Kerala let’s you chill out in the still charming little beachside resort of Kovalam, close to the southern tip of India. Stay at the luxury Leela hotel but eating almost exclusively in local cafes. Get…

In this third part in Kerala there’s a good look at the excellent Leela Hotel – the best hotel in Kovalam – but there’s also a lot of beach life to explore. Fisherman landing their catch and the local woman…

This gets us away from the cool, international style hotels into the true backwaters of Borneo... stay at a tribal longhouse in Bavanggazo, north of Kota Kinabalu. Watch out for the rice wine. There's a woman who really, honestly plays…

Skrang River in native longboat upriver in wild inaccessible Borneo. Iban Headhunter... call him MR Remang ! Longhouse experience at close quarters. Folk dance show not touristy. Men back from hunting with monkeys and wild boar. Very unspoilt. Headhunted skulls…